Flexible versus rigid laryngoscopy: A randomized crossover study comparing patient experience.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Medical Devices
• Patient Experience Research

Background:

• Laryngoscopy is a common procedure for diagnosing laryngeal conditions.
• Flexible distal-chip laryngoscopy (FDL) and rigid telescopic laryngoscopy (RTL) are two methods used for laryngeal examination.
• Patient comfort and satisfaction are crucial factors in procedural acceptance and adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient-reported pain, comfort, satisfaction, and preference between FDL and RTL.
• To evaluate clinician's assessment of patient experience during FDL and RTL.

Main Methods:

• A randomized crossover study involving 23 adult subjects.
• Subjects underwent both FDL and RTL, with the order randomized.
• Questionnaires assessed patient and clinician experiences; data analyzed using Pearson chi-squared and paired t-tests.

Main Results:

• FDL was associated with significantly higher reported discomfort (4.22 vs. 2.91) and pain (2.91 vs. 1.70) compared to RTL.
• No significant difference was found in patient preference between FDL and RTL.
• Clinicians' assessments of patient discomfort during FDL significantly underestimated actual reported discomfort (2.70 vs. 4.22).

Conclusions:

• Patients experience greater discomfort and pain with FDL compared to RTL.
• Despite increased discomfort, patients do not show a preference for one method over the other.
• High patient satisfaction is maintained with both laryngoscopy techniques, but clinicians tend to underestimate patient discomfort with FDL.